Poor Euphrosyne! She was not allowed by her grandfather to go to church
this day. Monsieur Revel insisted upon it that it would be an act of
treason for one of the French race to attend a thanksgiving for having
got rid of the French authorities. In vain did Euphrosyne represent
that the thanksgiving was for something very different--for the
deliverance of the town and district from war--for the security of white
and black inhabitants alike.--Neither Monsieur Revel nor Pierre would
hear a word of this. They were quite sure that the faster the dark
people thronged to the churches to rejoice, the more fervently should
the whites mourn and pray for mercy at home. Her grandfather said
Pierre should escort her to the chapel of the convent, where she might
go without being seen. That service was a fitting one for her to
attend; and he would spare her for a couple of hours, to be so spent,
under the eye of the abbess. This, however, Euphrosyne declined. She
preferred remaining to see from behind the blind what went on in the
Jesuits' Walk--to see Afra and her gouvernante dressed for church--to
see L'Ouverture set forth--to see the soldiers follow, marching in a
compact body, each man carrying a green bough, in token of rejoicing.
She did not know, any more than the crowd that lined the way, that in
the centre of this body of military, and concealed by the green boughs,
were the eleven mulatto prisoners.
Afra entered quickly to say farewell; and, lifting her veil hastily, she
said, "Kiss me, and let me go. L'Ouverture says he shall take us into
church himself, as my father is not here. Mademoiselle and I are going
with Madame Ducie and her daughters; and L'Ouverture will wait for us at
the church, and lead us in. Poor Euphrosyne! I wish you were going!"
"I never cared for anything half so much. Will you really walk all
through the church to your seat on his arm? And I should have been on
the other side, if grandpapa would have let me go! Do not stay, dear.
Tell me all about it when you come back."
"I must be gone. There will not be standing-room for one person to
spare. You know every one of my colour in Cap is ordered to be in the
church as the hour strikes. Farewell."
Euphrosyne had thought she had heard the crier publish this order; and
presently Pierre brought her the handbill to the same effect, which was
passing from hand to hand. If Euphrosyne and Pierre speculated
curiously on what this order might mean, what must have been the anxiety
of the mulattoes! Most of them had known of the conspiracy of the day
before: all had now heard of its failure. All were anxious to attend
the church, as staying away would amount to a confession of disloyalty;
but there was not one of them who did not go with fear and trembling,
wishing that the day was over, though dreading what it might bring
forth.
As Afra, and the ladies who attended her, drew near the great church,
they found the streets absolutely empty. Loyalty, and the desire to
appear loyal, had carried the entire population to the churches; and the
houses appeared deserted by all but an aged or sick person, here and
there, who looked forth upon the activity he could not share. In the
centre of the area before the church were piled the arms of the garrison
and of Toussaint's troops; and on the top of the pile of arms lay the
fetters which had just been removed from the mulatto conspirators.
L'Ouverture, in giving his orders to this effect, had said that arms
should be laid aside in the act of thanksgiving for peace; and bonds,
while giving thanks for liberty. When, at length, he gave the signal
for the military to enter the church after him, some of the officers
looked earnestly to him for orders that a guard might be left with the
arms. He understood their thoughts, and replied, with a smile:--
"Let every one enter to worship: the arms are safe. There is no one
near who would employ them against us."
Afra's heart beat, and she did not forget Euphrosyne, as she was led to
her seat by L'Ouverture, at whose entrance there was a half-suppressed
murmur throughout the vast congregation--a murmur which sank into
silence at the first breathing of solemn music from the choir. The
signs of gratulation for the escape of the Deliverer, first heard in the
streets, and now witnessed amidst the worshipping crowd, were too much
for the self-command of the conspirators. Their attitude became every
moment more downcast--their countenances more sullen and wretched. They
had a strong impression that their execution was to seal the
thanksgivings of this day; and in every allusion to deliverance from
danger, privy conspiracy, and rebellion, they believed that they read
their own doom. A tempting idea of escape now and then crossed the
imagination of one or other of them. As they sat with their heads upon
their breasts, the thought that they were unfettered, and their guards
unarmed, made them eager to glance around, and see if there was hope;
but whenever they raised their eyes, and whichever way they looked, they
encountered eyes seemingly as numerous as the stars of heaven--as many,
as penetrating, but not so calm. Eyes which shone with love of
L'Ouverture could not look benignly on those who would have kidnapped or
murdered him. Nor did the eleven meet with any visible sympathy from
the multitude of their own colour who were present. The greater number
looked studiously another way, in order to appear to have no connection
with them; and the countenances which were turned towards them wore a
strong expression of displeasure, as towards men who had ruined the last
hopes of a cause. The wretched men gave themselves up, at length, to
counting the minutes till the service should be over, and they should be
once more retired from this myriad of eyes, when they were roused by a
singular suspension of the service.
After the prayer for divine pardon, ensuing upon mutual forgiveness,
L'Ouverture arose from his knees, stepped from his place, and stood
before the altar. He spoke, while all rose to hear.
"In this place," said he, "brethren should be reconciled, or their
offering of thanksgiving will not be pure. Will all who feel enmity
towards me come to this holy spot, and exchange forgiveness?"
He looked towards the conspirators, who gazed upon him with eager eyes,
but did not move. They could not believe that tills appeal was intended
for them, till he beckoned to them. They advanced with hesitating
steps--first one or two--then several--then all; and as they drew nearer
they rushed upon him, some kissing his hand, others kneeling and
embracing his knees. Bidding these arise, he said gently, but in a
voice so penetrating that it was heard in the farthest recess of the
building, "I must have offended you, since you have conspired against
me; and you are very guilty towards me and your country. May He who
looks down with pity on the shameful strifes of men, bear witness to our
hearty forgiveness of each other! Can you with truth say Amen?--If not
yet with truth, say it not till you have heard me."
"Amen!" they cried, with a cry which was echoed first from the roof of
the church, and then by every voice beneath it which was not choked with
sobs.
"If you had had patience with me," said Toussaint, "you would have found
that I am above partiality in regard to race. When I find men of your
colour fit for office, they shall be promoted to office as my friend
Raymond was. I entreat you henceforth to give me time; to watch me,
though closely, generously; and if I fail to satisfy you, to make your
complaints to myself. As for the past, let it be forgotten by all. Go
to your homes, and I trust no one will ever speak to you of this day.
As for myself, I must go where I am wanted. It may be that I shall have
to punish the leader of your colour, if he persists in disturbing the
peace of the colony. But fear not that, if you do not share in his
offences, I shall impute them to you. It is true that, however far-off,
my eye will be upon you, and my arm stretched out over you; but as long
as you are faithful, this my presence will be, your protection. After
the blessing, the amnesty I have promised will be read. This, my act of
forgiveness, is sincere. Show that yours is so, I entreat, by
cherishing the peace of the colony. By the sanctity of the place on
which we stand, let there be peace among us all, and mutual forgiveness
for all time to come!"
"Amen!" again resounded, louder than the most joyous strain of the choir
that ever rang through the building.
L'Ouverture went back to his place, surrounded by the eleven released
men, for whom room was made round his person by those who could best
read his eye. After the priest had given the blessing, the amnesty was
road which declared pardon for all political offences, and all personal
offences against the Commander-in-chief, up to that hour. The moment it
was concluded, those who had arrived at the church in custody, left it
in freedom, though in shame, and sped away to their several homes, as if
the death they had anticipated were at their heels. There they told
their wonderful tale to their families, turning the desolation of wives
and children into joy almost too great to be believed.
Afra found, to her satisfaction, that no one had entered to tell
Euphrosyne of this act of L'Ouverture. Euphrosyne had been full of
perplexity about the mulattoes--almost disposed to think that the whole
race must have suddenly gone mad. She had seen them two hours before,
flocking to church with faces whose gloom contrasted strangely with
their numbers, their holiday dresses, and their eagerness to be in time
to secure admittance. She now saw them return, as if intoxicated with
joy, cheering, the whole length of the walk, and crying with an
enthusiasm, if possible, surpassing that of the blacks, "Long live the
Deliverer!"